Dogs are highly emotional animals that form strong bonds with their human families. As social pack animals, dogs have evolved to communicate their emotional states through body language, vocalizations, and facial expressions. But can dogs shed tears in response to feelings of sadness or grief? Here is a look at the evidence.
Do dogs have tear ducts?
Yes, dogs have tear ducts and produce tears as part of their normal eye functioning. Tears help keep dogs’ eyes lubricated and flush out dust and debris. However, dogs do not produce emotional tears linked to feelings like humans do. Their tear ducts drain tears into the nasal cavities rather than spilling out of their eyes. So while dogs may have watery eyes that look like they are crying, it is likely not from the same mechanisms that produce tears in humans when we cry from emotions like sadness, grief, or joy.
Why do dogs’ eyes water?
There are a few reasons why dogs’ eyes may water, giving them the appearance of crying:
- Irritation – Eye irritation from dust, wind, or eye infections can cause reflexive watering of the eyes.
- Stress – Some dogs’ eyes water more when they are anxious or stressed. The tears are linked to arousal, not sadness.
- Eye conformations – Certain dog breeds with large or prominent eyes may be prone to eye watering without actual tear production.
- Behavioral – Dogs may associate eye watering with getting attention or comforting from their owners.
So while eye watering may look like emotional crying to us humans, in dogs the behavior is more likely linked to physical eye irritation, stress responses, or learned behaviors to elicit comfort.
Do dogs grieve?
Yes, dogs absolutely do grieve and feel sadness at the loss of a human or animal companion. Some signs of grief in dogs include:
- Loss of appetite
- Increased vocalizations
- Searching or waiting behavior
- More affection seeking
- Withdrawal from normal activities
- Changes in sleep patterns
These types of behaviors are similar to human grief responses and demonstrate that dogs do mourn the loss of close companions that they are bonded with. So while dogs may not shed emotional tears from sadness like humans, they certainly still experience grief.
Do dogs express emotions through facial expressions?
Yes, research shows dogs have evolved complex facial expressions that allow them to communicate a wide range of emotions. Their facial muscles and anatomy reflect this evolution for visual signaling.
Some identifiable emotional facial expressions in dogs include:
- Happiness – relaxed open mouth, tongue out, crescent eye shape
- Sadness – inner brows raised, eyes may appear larger
- Fear – lips retracted, ears back, brows furrowed
- Anger – lips curled, wrinkled muzzle, teeth exposed
So while dogs may not cry tears that humans recognize as sadness, they have other ways of outwardly communicating sad emotional states through facial cues and body language.
Are there any instances of dogs crying tears?
While emotional crying linked to feelings is not normal in dogs, in rare instances dogs have been observed to cry tears in situations of intense grief, reunion, or loss. Some examples:
- A dog crying at the grave of his deceased owner
- A dog tearfully whining and crying when reuniting with his owner after years apart
- Tears streaming down a dog’s face as he watches his companion dog pass away
These rare occurrences seem to indicate that in intensely emotional situations, some dogs may experience tearful crying much like humans. However, further research is still needed to understand the science and psychology behind crying in dogs.
What should you do if you think your dog is crying?
If your dog has watery eyes or behavior that makes you think he is crying from sadness or grief, here are some tips:
- Comfort your dog with extra affection, attention, treats, and playtime.
- Keep to your dog’s normal routine as much as possible.
- Talk to your vet to rule out eye issues or illness causing watering eyes.
- Consider behavioral therapy or medication if grieving lasts more than a few weeks.
- Get another companion pet if your dog is mourning a lost canine companion.
With time and support, most dogs are resilient and can bounce back after a loss. Pay close attention to behaviors signaling ongoing grief or depression that may need veterinary attention.
Conclusion
In summary, dogs do not appear to cry emotional tears the way humans do. Their watery eyes are more often caused by physical irritation, stress, or learned behaviors to get comforting from owners. However, dogs absolutely do experience feelings of grief and sadness. They communicate these states through facial expressions and body language rather than actual crying. In rare instances, some dogs may produce tears in response to extremely emotional situations. But the consensus among veterinary behaviorists is that tearful crying from complex emotions is generally unique to humans and not dogs. With further research, we may come to better understand crying behaviors in our canine companions. Until then, dog owners can rest assured that even without tears, dogs still feel sadness – and joy – as deeply as we do.